Air-brake mechanism.



PATENTED NOV. 7, 1905.

R. W. KELLY.

AIR BRAKE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. a, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTGE.

RICHARD W. KELLY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH TOHENRY T. HAZARD AND ONE-FOURTH TO GEORGE E. HARPHAM, OF LOS ANGELES,CALIFORNIA.

AIR-BRAKE MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. '7, 1905.

Application filed September 3, 1904:. Serial No. 223,287.

1'0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD W. KELLY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Air-BrakeMechanism, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of my invention are to enable the engineer to recharge theauxiliary reservoir while the brakes are set, also to equalize thepressure in the different auxiliary reservoirs while the brakes are set.I accomplish these objects by the mechanism described herein andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figures 1 and 2 arelongitudinal central sections of the triple valve in common use in whatis known as the Westinghouse air-brake with my improvements attachedthereto. Fig. 1 shows my improvement in .operative position to permitthe engineer to recharge the auxiliary reservoir under the respectivecars during a service application. Fig. 2 shows the same with myimprovement in its inoperative position. -Fig. 3 is a section on theline 8 3 of Fig. 2 of so much of the mechanism as is necessary to showthe operation of the pressure-regulating valve which controls thechannel through which the recharging of the auxiliary reservoir iseffected.

In the drawings the triple valve, which so far as the performance of itsfunctions in braking is concerned-that is to say, effecting the closurebetween the main air-pipe and the auxiliary reservoir and the opening ofcommunication between the auxiliary reservoir and the brake-cylinder inapplying the brakes and the reverse operations in releasing the brakesaccords substantially in construction with that set forth in LettersPatent of the United States N o. 37 6,837 granted to GeorgeW'estinghouse, Jr., January 24, 1888,

and therefore, saving as to the structural features by which it performsthe further func- 45 tion of effecting the direct admission of air fromthe main air-pipe to the auxiliary reservoir while the brakes are set onservice application, to be presently described, requires no furtherdescription.

In the drawings, 4 is the ordinary feedgroove through which air is fedfrom the trainpipe through the main slide-valve chamber into theauxiliary reservoir, (not shown,)

around piston 5 when said piston is in its release position, which maybe called the main communication between the train-pipe and theauxiliary reservoir. In service applications air is admitted throughport 6 into channel 7 of the main slide-valve, through which it passesinto channel 8 and thence to the brakecylinder. (Not shown.) In serviceapplications after the brakes have been set the airsupply to thebrake-cylinder is controlled by graduating-valve 9 in the well-knownmanner. So far the construction and use are the ordinary constructionand use of the Festinghouse triple valve, except that emergencyport 10opens to auxiliary pressure at the side instead of the end of the mainslide-valve.

Upon the side of the case B of the triple valve is cast a boss 0, intowhich is bored a hole which is interiorly threaded for the reception ofthe casing D of the pressure-valve chamber E, which chamber is linedwith an open-end bushing F, on which is formed the seat of the pressureslide-valve G, which has a channel Gr therein. This slide-valve isfitted to reciprocate on said seat to establish or cut off communicationbetween said chamber and port H in the bushing. Port H is connected bychannel I to port J in the bushing K of the main slide-valve chamberLofthe triple valve. The main slide-valve M is provided with an L-shapedchannel N, one side of which is brought into register with port J whenthe main slide-valve is brought to the service position, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2. A supplemental graduating-valve O is secured to the stemP, which operates the main slide-valve and reciprocates in the otherside of channel L and governs the passage of air through said channel,which passes into and out of said channel through port Q in the sidethereof, as hereinafter explained.

Pressure-valve chamber E is connected by channel R with chamber 5 of thetriple valve which receives train-line pressure. Pressure slide-valve Uris reciprocated on its seat by stem T, which is afiiixed to piston U,which piston reciprocates in pistonchamber V, which is formed in therear end of easing D. In the end of the casing of piston-chamber V issecured casing W of the spring-chamber X, in which is housed spring Y,which normally holds piston U in contact with gasket 0, which forms aseat therefor and makes the air-tight joint.

joint therebetween air-tight. In the rear of this piston-chamber is agasket 6, which forms a seat for the rear face of the piston when inengagement therewith to make an A guide-bushing 0 keeps the spring frombuckling. The tension of spring Y is regulated in the well-known mannerfor the regulation of such devices, and an air-port (not shown) isformed in the rear end of the casing of this chamber. Channels I and Rconstitute an independent or secondary channel from the train-pipe tothe auxiliary.

In the operation of my device the tension of spring Y is set at thepressure at which it is desired that valve Gr shall move to bringchannel G into register with port H. This is preferably seventy pounds,as it is unnecessary to recharge the auxiliary reservoir while thebrakes are set when the auxiliary-reservoir pressure is below seventypounds, be cause if the grade is such that seventy pounds pressure inthe auxiliary reservoir will give sufiicient braking power the auxiliaryreservoir can be recharged in the usual manner. In making a serviceapplication the main slide-valve of the triplevalve is moved to cut ofi"the communication between the brakecylinder and the exhaust-port and toestablish communication between the brake-cylinder and the auxiliaryreservoir in the usual wellknown manner. During this time port Q isclosed by the supplemental graduating-valve O, and the operation of thetriple valve is not efiected by my improvement thereto. Now when themain graduating-valve of the triple valve is returned to a position tocut off the supply of air from the auxiliary reservoir to thebrake-cylinder the supplemental graduating-valve O is moved by stemP soas to uncover port Q, so that alimited amount of air will pass throughchannel R and into the auxiliary reservoir whenever the pressure in thetrain-pipe exceeds the tension of the spring Y and moves the pressureslide-valve G to establish communication between the pressure-valvechamberEand channel I. By this means when coming down the mountains,where greatbraking power is required and where a pressure 01 overseventy pounds and as high as ninety pounds is used in the auxiliaryreservoir the reservoirs can be recharged, while the brakes are set inservice application when the triple-valve is in what is known as lapposition, and the pressure in the different auxiliary reservoirs willequalize through the train-pipe. It will also be observed that upon anemergency application channel N is carried out of register with port J,so that the efficiency of the triple valve on the emergency applicationis not interfered with. When these high pressures are used and it isdesired to release the brakes, the pressure in the train-line and in thereservoirs is reduced to a little below seventy pounds, when theconnection between channel I and channel G of the pressure slide-valveis cut off and the brakes are-released in the ordinary wellknown manner.

It will be observed that by the use of my of a case or chest havingchambers and ports and passages therein; a single slide-valve havingports and passages therein governing ports and passages in the caseleading to connections between an auxiliary reservoir and abrake-cylinder and between the brake-cylinder and the atmosphere, andbetween the auxiliary reservoir and the train-pipe; a piston working ina chamber in said case; a stem secured to said piston and actuating saidslide-valve; oppositely-disposed graduating-valves secured to the stemwhich actuates said slide-valve, said graduating-valves controlling thecommunication through passages in said main slidevalve which providecommunication between the auxiliary reservoir and the brake-cylinder andbetween the auxiliary reservoir and the train-pipe, saidgraduating-valves being so arranged that only one of the passagescontrolled thereby is open at any one time.

2. In a brake mechanism a triple valve having a piston and a stem, asingle slide-valve arranged on such stem, said stem having a short rangeof motion independent of such valve; a valve-chamber in which said valveworks; ports and passages in the said valve and in the case inclosingthe same leading to connections between an auxiliary reservoir and abrake-cylinder, and between an auxiliary reservoir and the trainline;and two graduating-valves aflixed to said piston-stem and controllingcommunication between passages leading to connections between theauxiliary reservoirs and the brake-cylinder, and between the mainair-pipe and the auxiliary reservoir respectively, one of saidgraduatingvalves closing one of said communications when the othergraduating-valve opens the other communication.

3. In a brake mechanism a triple valve having a piston provided with astem; a slide-valve arranged on such stem and actuated thereby, saidstem having a short range or motion without moving said valve;- avalve-chamber containingsaid valve; ports and passages in said valve andin the case inclosing the sameleading to connections with an auxiliaryair-reservoir and a brake-cylinder and to the atmosphere, and to thetrain-line; two graduating- By the use of my device the valves actuatedby said piston-stem and controlling communication between passagesleading to connections between the auxiliary reservoir and thebrake-cylinder, and between the main air-pipe and the auxiliaryreservoir respectively, one of said graduating-valves closing one ofsaid communications when the other graduating-valve opens the othercommunication; a supplementary slide-valve controlling the passage fromthe train-line to the auxiliary reservoir.

L. In a brake mechanism a secondary passage forming a connection betweenthe auxiliaryrese rvoir and the train-pipe, said connection beingcontrolled by the main slidevalve of the triple valve andaspring-presseol slidevalve actuated by pressure from the train-pipe onsaid secondary passage.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 26th day 20 of August, 1904.

RlOHARD W. KELLY.

Witnesses:

G. E. HARPHAM, HENRY T. HAZARD.

